Rated PG

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Lizzie McGuire, cuz if I did you would see a LOT less of Hil and more of Adam...

Stuck

It was brisk, but warm morning in New York City, as David Gordon crossed a busy street, brief-case clutched in hand. Avoiding a near miss with a taxi cab, he walked among the millions of others, wearing down the pavement.

"Good-morning," came a voice behind him. He turned to see a dark eyed woman, with a long mane of auburn hair.

"Hello, Lydia." He replied, politely.

"On your way to the Newsstand David?" she asked.

"Can't go a day without my coffee," he answered.

"Ah, neither can I." they stopped before a local 'Barnes and Noble' Newsstand, each taking a copy of the Times, and Lydia got herself a hot vanilla cappuccino, and David black coffee.

"So do you have your whole design done?" asked Lydia, as she sipped on her drink.

"Yeah, I finished the front lay-out last night."

David Gordon had been hired almost two years ago to work at the magazine 'Core' which surrounded women's fashions. Although he knew zip about what women actually liked to wear, he was very creative in layouts and spreads, something that he discovered with his love of filming. 'Core' had hired him, and within year he was one of the top editors on staff, making a nice salary, and living in glorious New York. Yeah, it wasn't a bad life.

The reached the tall building the housed several different magazine, newspaper, and publishing companies, and headed in through the lobby, taking the elevator to the eighteenth floor.

"I can't wait to see what you've done with it," Lydia said warmly, obviously trying to coax more out of him then she was getting.

Lydia Bennett was tall, thin, beautiful, talented and brilliant, every man was in love with her, and every woman envied her. She was very popular in the office, because all the women were always asking about her clothes, jewelry and how she was so good at catching any man. The men, for that matter were all in awe of her, she was the kind you could want but never have, and she could have had any man, but she didn't settle for just anything, she only wanted the best.

And the best was David Gordon.

They entered the lobby of the offices, where all the women were crowded around a center desk, laughing and talking about something. "Hello girls." Lydia walked over, and peered over shoulders for a better look.

"Hello Lyddie," replied Anna Steinman looking up, "You simply must see this."

"Oh?"

David shook his head, as usual the women of the office were fawning over some new fad, be it clothes, quizzes, novels or music, it would keep them off task for hours.

"It's the most wonderful book." Sighed Janet, "It's called 'Stuck'"

"Oh, Mr. Gordon, come over and look." His secretary Lynn called.

"Thank you ladies but I must be getting to work, after all we do have deadlines." He answered hastily, and tried to make a quick escape to his large office, but was stopped by another co-worker Kyle Martin.

"Morning Gordon, have you read 'the book' yet?" He asked. Kyle was the tall, well built, jock type, who was constantly flirting with the ladies, and they were always drowning in his complements.

"No, Martin I haven't." he tried to turn away, but Kyle put a tight hold on his left shoulder.

"Look, Gordon, this may seem odd, but even I want to read this book, and I've heard it's simply genius."

Realizing they weren't going to let him leave till he heard an explanation, he stayed.

"It's called 'Stuck'" Lydia smiled, "I've actually already read it." The ladies laughed and smiled,

"Really, Lyddie? Why didn't you tell us?" asked Janet.

"You wouldn't let me get a word in, anyway, David it's about these two friends in High School, a girl and a boy, who are inseparable, and the boy falls in love with the girl, and she just doesn't see it...and oh it's just lovely."

Kyle grabbed the New York Times out of David's clutched fist and opened it up to a particular page, and showed him a list,

"Number One on the New York Times list for almost ten weeks." He pointed as David reached for the paper. "See look there's a review here. By the way Ladies...when will I be able to borrow that?" he turned his attention to the women.

"After I'm done," Lynn replied, snatching the copy from Janet's hand, and diving towards her desk, to read in peace.

"I might as well pick up my own God Damned copy." He said disgustedly.

David spread out the paper on a desk and read,

'LBM, author of the remarkable book 'Stuck' has warmed its way into the hearts of both men and women of every age. The characters Katherine, called Kat, and Adam are beautifully detailed, to every last inch. You know them, feel them and see them by the time you put this book down. As the two make there way through a few years of High School, and then into college, LBM paints their story of survival, friendship and slowly growing romance in a colossal mural of happiness, sadness, anger and joy that can only be classified as a modern day classic of our time.'

"It's supposed to be simply magnificent." Kyle noted.

"It is." Lydia replied.

"Sounds lovely guys, but I have work." And David Gordon excused himself to his office.

"The man just doesn't have a feeling for the human soul does he?" asked Kyle.

"I wonder what happened to him..." Lydia murmured watching his office door close.

"Well all, I'm off; I'm running to 'B and N' and getting a copy of that book if it kills me." Kyle threw on his sports coat and hit the down button on the elevator.

--

There was a soft knock at David Gordon's door. He looked up, "Come in."

It was Lydia.

"I thought you might want to talk." She said quickly.

"About...?" He asked.

"Look, David, I've known you for quite some time now, and I was thinking, maybe, perhaps..."

She perched on the edge of one of his office chairs, crossing her long, slender and well tanned legs.

"I was thinking that maybe sometime, we could get some dinner together." She flashed a bright white smile.

David opened his mouth, he really wanted to say no to her, but he hadn't been out on a date for quite sometime...so...

"Ahh...sure Lydia that would be nice." He finally finished.

"Great!" she jumped up, "Where exactly would you like to go?"

"Uh...I don't know..." the door to his office suddenly swung open.

"Lydia, come quick!" It was Lynn, and she was out of breath, "You too Mr. Gordon!"

Lydia glanced at David, a puzzled expression on her face, he followed her out to the Lobby, the rest of the 'Core' staff was there, gathered around Kyle, the women twittering like mad, the men, hands in their pockets, nodding every so often.

"Kyle is something wrong?" Lydia asked.

"No everything is good Lyddie, actually it's magnificent."

David and Lydia took a place next to one of the end men, Gregg, who said "Gordon, Kyle said you haven't even touched 'the book' yet."

He nodded, thinking 'I hate trends...I hate trends...'

"Okay, okay quiet down people. Here is the good news." He was holding up a packet of papers. "Barnes and Nobel is holding a contest, whoever wins gets a chance to spend the day with LBM the author of 'Stuck'."

"I heard she's a total babe." Whispered Gregg, "We're talking Halle Berry, Brittney Spears hot."

David shook his head disgustedly.

"A WHOLE day with the author?!" Squealed Janet. "That's marvelous!"

Lydia nodded enthusiastically, "I agree! But how do you enter?"

Kyle shook his fist, a handful of paper clutched beneath his broad fingers, "I brought tons of entry forms."

There was a scramble for pens, as Kyle handed out the precious scraps of paper.

"Oooh, this is exciting!" said Lynn.

"You know ladies, you shouldn't be filling them out at all." Snapped Keith, a tall blonde man, who wrote articles for 'Core', "I mean it's a woman after all isn't it? Shouldn't the men be the ones who want the chance to spend the day with a beautiful writer?"

"LBM is NOT a woman!" cried Janet. "It's a man."

"And how do you know?" asked Kyle.

"Well...it's sort of funny I don't think I've ever read much up on the author at all." Lydia replied in a puzzled voice.

"Well he has to have a website, doesn't he?" suggest Nina, a heavy-set red head.

"SHE." Corrected Gregg.

"Well I guess we could look..."

Another scramble of movements, as everyone sat at a computer, or dashed into their offices, leaving David in clutter of forgotten paper slips.

--

Twenty minutes later at lunch, there was much complaining, only a few websites had appeared for 'LBM' and not one of them had told the gender of the author.

"How is it possible that the most famous author in the world at this current moment DOESN'T HAVE SITE?" cried Janet in disgust, as she pierced a piece of lettuce with her fork, a little too vehemently.

"Well, all I can figure or, hope anyway, is that someone here will win!" Lynn said exasperatedly.

Lydia glanced at David, he was eating his lunch, (a bowl of soup he'd gotten at the restaurant two places down from the building) very quietly, not talking or socializing, just thinking, meditating.

'God I wish I knew what that man thought about.' Mused Lydia as she closed her eyes and prayed that then end of the day would come a little quicker.

--

It was barely two months since the previously explained incident, two months in which Lydia Bennett had made a little more than a dent, in the very thick outer-crust that seemed to enclose David Gordon. He was quiet, silent...and yet he loved to tell her things. Things like what he thought of the world and politics, his parents, his religion...he even touched once upon the topic of 'true love', 'love at first sight' and even 'soul mates'.

But it was obvious he didn't like to talk about it.

Lydia wanted to know more than the Microsoft stock quotas, she wanted to understand him, and his life, and his past...the things that she just couldn't get him to talk about. But she was SO close...so very close! If only she could breach that outer layer, reach in and see his very heart, just to understand it for one second would have made her happy...but it seemed as if she would never fully comprehend David Gordon...never ever.

He was sitting upright, as usual, at his large mahogany desk, mapping out the next front cover of 'Core'. He didn't recline in his desk, or think idly, he just worked. And that was him; he just got everything done, as soon as he could, whenever he could.

The door of his office opened suddenly, and in walked Lydia, dressed in a dapper navy suit, her long legs accented by four-inch-stiletto heels.

"Morning." She said warmly.

He looked up and smiled, but returned to his work. He liked Lydia, yeah, sure he did. She was nice, friendly, not to mention beautiful. But he didn't love her, not yet, and he didn't think he ever would. But he had to date, being alone suited him well enough, yet the thought of looking ridiculous without something to occupy him on a Saturday night troubled him somehow, enough to convince him that he should continue seeing Lyddie...for the time being anyway.

"Friday, 'Tavern on the Green' again?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah...that sounds fine." David answered. He may have seemed a bit dull, a little like a wet mop, but he could laugh and be fun...even though Lyddie didn't mind him being a little quiet and reserved.

"AHHHHHHH!!! OH MY GOD!!! OH MY GOD!"

The screaming from the next room, startled David's mind, numb with work and the blaring computer screen, and he looked up at Lydia, who looked somewhat mortified, but quickly rushed at the door, David at her heels a moment later.

It was Lynn. She was on the phone, screaming, jumping and yelling loudly into the receiver. "Okay, yes!...Yes, that's fine!... Okay, not a problem...TWO 'O CLOCK TODAY?...great okay...Good Bye!"

"Lynn what happened?" cried Janet as Lynn hung up.

"JANET I WON!!!!" she hollered.

"You won?" asked Lydia quizzically, "Won what?"

"I'M GOING TO SPEND THE DAY WITH LBM!" Lynn screamed.

There was a sudden shot of commotion as everyone began talking at once. Yelling, screaming, flying office papers, phones started ringing, people were arguing.

And all David Gordo did was go back to his office and work.

--

That afternoon at two, the entire staff of 'Core' (including Mr. Gordon) stood around in the lobby, waiting for the arrival of the novelist.

"I still think it's a woman." Insisted Keith.

Nina then told Keith to do something that David never expected to hear.

Suddenly the phone rang, and everyone got quiet.

"Hello?" asked Lynn into the receiver. "Great." She said after a pause and hung up.

"What'd they say?" cried Janet, "WHAT? TELL ME?"

"Breathe Jan, just that my guest would be here in a moment..."

There was a sudden ding of the elevators, and a scramble of women to get to the doors, as the mystery author finally arrived.

David, still lacking in the height department, couldn't really see what was going on, but by the gasping, and murmuring, he figured that 'LBM' was indeed, a woman.

"I'm so sorry I'm late." He heard a voice say. "It was crazy traffic. So which one of you is the contest winner?" she asked warmly.

"Me!" cried Lynn, pushing through the crowd.

"Well it's wonderful meeting you." He

"The same goes for me!" Lynn was positively giddy. "Well, may I introduce you around the office Miss..." Lynn stopped, she didn't really know her last name!

"We're actually going to meet her!" Keith practically shouted in David's ear, and he completely missed the woman's last name.

Still stuck at the end of the line, David waited as she made her rounds...but really, did he want to meet some woman who started a silly trend that he wanted NOTHING to do with? He turned on his heel and headed towards his office, only to hear,

"And my boss, he's a top editor here, wait, DAVID!"

The young woman was being held back by a large group, she was listening intently to each of Lynn's introductions.

Someone grabbed his arm.

It was Lydia, "You might as well meet her for the love of God."

He turned around, and almost ran smack dab into someone.

That someone happened to be LBM.

And that someone stared at him for a moment, and he stared back.

There was something familiar about those deep hazel brown eyes, and that long blonde mane.

"G-Gordo?" she whispered, her eyes large with wonder.

"Lizzie?" he cried, but it was barely audible.

"Oh, my God..." she murmured.

"Oh, my God..." his croaked...he could barely spit out the words.

And David Gordon remembered why it was so hard loving Lydia Bennett.

He was still in love with his best friend.

--

OOOH EVIL CLIFFIE!

Look guys I'm sorry about long updates...I've just been really really busy!!! But I'll have more time once school is done! Since tomorrow is my last full day of school (Time to find out if I failed the Algebra II final! WHOO!)

But anyway, since it's summer, I should have some time...even though Lauren's commin in next week...Theatre Camp...The Beach with Pony...then two weddings...and then BAND CAMP! Whoo! ...I may not get EVERYTHING done...but I'll try.

Wow you guys get on my case, but I LOVE the attention!

WEEEE!

Anywhoo...more to come. And guys:

PLEASE IF YOU DON'T SIGN IN ON YOUR REVIEW, GIVE ME YOUR E-MAIL!

I reply to all my reviewers, it's a common courtesy and I love thanking you guys for taking your time and reading the garbage I call writing.

Without you...there would be no point to this.

Jen aka J~Ho